2018 Poetry Form Challenge

#15 Nocturna

The word was first used by Christians and was a form of night prayers Later appeared in the
18th century and was derived from the French nocturnal and was usually music inspired by the
night and played at evening parties. During that time poetry was also recited.

The painter Whistler used that name in some of his paintings, they also had a night theme, which in
turn inspired Chopin to write his well loved Nocturnes.

The Nocturna is basically a nine line poetry form based on the nocturne theme containing three,
three line lessons recited during the night. The subject must be nocturnal and it consists of
three couplets linked by the rhyme of the centre line;

a. b. a. c. b. c. d. b. d.

My Star 'Till The Morn

She sang softly like a bird taking flight,It was then that I fell in love with her.I wanted to hear her all through the nightThough the radio now plays another song,I imagined that her voice was pure sugarHer presence now haunts me all winter longI close my eyes, because a dream's been born,I know I will see her soon this summerThe woman who's now my star til the morn.

And what of stars, are they so far away
We make our plans, our hopes, our dreams,
We know in time, like us they will decay
In youth what stars shine, what plans we make
And as they cease to shine so do our schemes.
Wild things we do and say and risks we take.
Too late sometimes and one more star blinks out
Then we must follow our more celestial themes
For such is youth they ignore the loudest shout.

Doorway to the Stars - Josephine Wall.

-----

Death's Interruption

I have filled my cup and supped
But will ne'r be full up ever
Only death itself can interrupt
And that will only be an interlude.
Kismet states we will stay together
For there is no end of love accrued
I realised early that it was alright
Our souls now could never sever
Death is only darkness like night.

-----

Full Moon

When she said "I Love You" the first time
There was a trembling sound in her words,
I was happy to think of sharing life's climb.
Wanting her to be forever in my arms,
Realising we could fly higher than birds
The more I know her and her many charms.
Looking at the beauty of the full moon
Always bright for lovers going forwards
Peace and wonderment attained soon.

-----

Heavy Heart

Once they were lively with stars, your eyes
And like the Tango were filled with fire
Now there is nothing, all I hear are sighs.
Again, once our banter made us both laugh
And silly things spoken created desire,
Instead, now at nigh time in pain we bath.
What was it that made you want to depart
Leaving me wallowing in this pool of mire
With everything including a heavy heart?

-----

I Must

I must write these words whilst they are alive
In the sanity of what is left of today.
To delay those words would no longer survive
I need to frame the smile you make in my mind
That says nothing, yet all my worries defray
They would escape and be impossible to find.
The curve of lips and brows fill my collection
Like a treasure trove all your facets array
So in haste I bid all distractions, "Begone!"

-----

Jealousy

I'm jealous of midnight's moon glow
Its soft rays kiss you while you sleep
In absentia I wish each one from me
I wish I were there beside you now
As the hours so slowly forward creep
And those languid eyes I long to see.
Those balmy days when we were close
Creating memories that I happily keep
Make me resent midnight's moon glow

I'm jealous of the night skies closeness
For my fingers ache to touch your face.
It's day here and I must be dreamless
Yet I remember our nightly nearness
And in my distant bed, memories race.
Feeling your spirit close it isn't hopeless,
Nor shouldn't be, because I see your eyes.
I'm jealous as the moon takes my place
But I feel you, Eternity is not a surprise.

Why must I wake up from my loving dreams
We spend so little time together each night
Hardly have we met, then have to part it seems.
Yet our short time together is heavenly
Where everything done, seems to be so right
With promises of more of what should be.
After dreams, reality rears its ugly head
Calling an end to our nocturnal rite,
Alarm shrieks, "Awake!" I climb out of bed.

-----

Questions

Shall I wish tonight and dream of thee
And will it be such and such, or so sublime?
Will it encompass all that love could be?
I humbly ask because you know my mind
That my wishes and those dreams combine
I have told the truth so please, please be kind.
Though we dwell each on a different shore
Is there a future, will you truly be mine,
It's about our future I wish to know!

-----

Sanctity

Age does not mean our mind has gone at all.
All it means is that we are mature and know more
And now it is time for us to relax and have a ball.
Experience is something we gain after an event
How can we know things before entering the store
And to experience anything we must be present.
We have seen many days, and also many nights
Some perhaps many, we were able to explore
And in that exploration achieved new heights.

Love is merely life, but a life that has changed
Happiness is when life has changed for the better
Misery's life that's unchanged or become estranged.
In all cases lessons taught, experience happened,
In all cases where we've learned, we're a debtor
And realised a higher level has beckoned.
Loves call should be welcomed, embrace for life
Stride out with love realise it is not a fetter
Instead experience teaches it is two sharing strife.

-----

Vignette

The life of true love can be short, grasp it
Love when you can and daily cherish,
Carry it with you well fed in your heart,
True love will ne'er ever be out of fashion
Like you must be fed each day lest it perish
With tit bits of lust and morsels of passion
That way portions of love become balanced
And physical things will serve to embellish
But true love is the only way it is enhanced.

-----

Xactly Right

Your tears falling, mixing with my own,
That look when you smile from your heart
And I hear you when you quietly moan.
Our future together now is so well known,
Ever touching, the way that love will start;
Parting for so long but certain of a return.
Each night as I hold you, you grip me tight
Fearful of the time we must temporally part
Rekindling a fire that only love can ignite.

I often have second thoughts about you,
It's not doubting our love, it's thinking again
Thoughts about what we have done, and will do.
I am obsessed with you and drunk with love.
Keeping desire in reason prevents going insane
I am in the pool of desire I must swim above.
And yet temptation wills me to give in,
But will temptation accept all the blame
At the realization that it's caused nothing.

-----

Your Sight

Your sight is bless'd like golden morn
Surrounding like a halo on waking
Like a peace of heaven has been torn.
You've a smile that fades the waking dawn
Your look lights the day that's breaking
Your sight is bless'd with golden morn.
And so each happy day my life is born
With the sight of you so breathtaking
Feeling more each day to you I'm drawn

Winter Dreaming - Josephine Wall.

-----

Zen Conversation

The dark abyss of a soul is not empty
There are hidden secrets waiting within
Just undiscovered things waiting to be.
Listening with ears that hear in the silence
Using senses that know everything is nothing.
Eyes that see the darkness's false pretence.
As though we stood at the edge of the ocean
Feeling the salty spray on our hair and skin
Questioning about life's harmonic motion.

Oh youthful days of shrouded love
Thy purity divine hae come tae pass
Where chastity bequeaths thereof
Yet hae ventured forth nae shame
For a purely innocent Scottish lass
Who was ne-er wan tae honour blame
It was nae classed as her priority
She who hae nae will left tae claim
But for Ae fond kiss of generosity.

-----

Aphrodite

Oh youthful days of shrouded love
Thy purity divine hae come tae pass
Where chastity bequeaths thereof
Yet hae ventured forth nae shame
For a purely innocent Scottish lass
Who was ne-er wan tae honour blame
It was nae classed as her priority
She who hae nae will left tae claim
But for Ae fond kiss of generosity.

-----

Baby Yaga

She who held the secrets of life and death
That stood upon the darker side of wisdom
Such was evil of a Crone`s wicked breath
She who held a curse from the Slavic myth
Cautions with spells who enters a kingdom
Devoid of speach and presence therewith
Yet on her good side she may cure all ills
When torment to them shall occur seldom
But it all depends upon whatever she wills.

-----

Dark Souls Arise

Deep within the darkness of the skies
When evening shadows cease to show
It is now that the dark souls shall rise
Those who were never ready to cease
Again return to be free as winds blow
For their everlasting love to increase
Far more than they both had before
When cosmic showers shall ever flow
Their time shall be silenced no more.

-----

Dire Torment

I within dire torment if I fail
Unsure thoughts remain within
Where poetic composers entail
Why must this be I tried so hard
All achieved ends up in the bin
I know now I may not be a bard
It was once in my dreams to be
To achieve within a high regard
None of which was meant for me.

From Cerridwen2 Rhiannons Grove Celtic Deity.

-----

Embracing Love

I who hath felt thy touch of love
And a kiss that shall melt my heart
That still remains as deep thereof
How canst I e-er forget this gift
For this precious love shall not part
I dream yet sleepless cannot drift
For fear I miss thy warm embrace
This flame of love shalt be an art
Upon the canvas of love retrace.

from Beautiful World of Aarti Khuran.

-----

Endurance Charms

The very nearness of thee I shalt miss
Thy absence shalt release much sorrow
I had great need of thy gentle kiss
To be close once more within thy arms
Which hath been deterred `til morrow
No more may thou pledge sweet charms
For joys of love returneth a misdeed
And rejection shall play its final show
It is very soon we shall go to seed.

-----

Epitaph

Take me back to the meadows I know
It is here that I lay my head to rest
Where ripened corn and barley grow
'Neath the shade of an old oaken tree
Acorns fall beneath where seeds invest
Once more our mother earth shall free
The beginnings of her new creations
Let my spirits remain wild and free
And my soul `midst bless'd relations.

-----

Luna Embrace

Within ancient beliefs of bygone lore
Skies from the East fortold a prophesy
As they travelled from shore to shore
Shades of the skies had changed above
And never a soul knew the reason why
Did the moon embrace the sun for love
Or natures way to tone down the light
Simple folk with simple minds comply
Knowing only what they saw that night.

-----

May This Be Love

When I close my eyes I feel his presence
How canst this be I am here on my own
Do dreams and fantasies offer pretence
But it was he who had whispered of love
He who had made tenderness beknown
To remain ever within my heart thereof
His touch of love shalt ne-er be forgot
It is there in his eyes his love is shown
Until such a time when he loves me not.

-----

Mythical Beast

What beast is this that roams the forest
Upon the ancient mythical times of lore
Who remains a predator of the darkest
Fierce the fangs that portray his intent
Piercing antlers t'wards prey shall gore
Part deer and wolf discovers this scent
Of their unsuspecting victims of prey
Such hunger shall only encourage more
The powers of will shall not fade away.

From Rhannons Grove Celtic Dietry - Mythical Beast.

-----

Nom de Plume

Shall not the shadow of time awake me
Time is naught but as cruel fates await
Of dire torment that plea`s to be free
That shalt not ordain of joy or grieve
For time shalt not within death relate
But life within death shall interweave
Within the past spirits of ancestors
For proven images shalt ever relate
Back towards thy ancient predators.

-----

Past For Future

Healthy trees are falling one by one
'Twas this their chosen destiny to be
Sever`d boughs may not shade a sun
And parched forests shalt surely fade
Generations on shall never see a tree
For a mishap that the past had made
Of concrete gardens and a motorway
To make man rich in the building trade
That the barren earth shall forever pay.

-----

Scattered Seeds

Now Percy he was a proud man
And he held his head up high
Once he couldn't but now he can
Do the things he never did before
The farmer thought him as shy
But all he ever needed was more
For a man like Percy was no weed
They can still hear his harvest cry
Within freshly scattered seeds.

-----

Touch of Love

I hear thy whispers so softly spoken
Though we are so far apart
For love so dear is a precious token
Both shalt forever treasure
In the beginning you stole my heart
'Twas then and now a pleasure
There is no worries for love to cease
To be over afore it shalt start
For a touch of love shalt ne-er release.

-----

Tree Spirits

How quickly the winds of time shall pass
Yet this planet of life shall still revolve
Aged thoughts and dreams that surpass
How beautiful this earth was once to be
When troubled waters once more resolve
Warriors conflicts that may soon be free
May it be one day we shall dwell in peace
And past generations once more evolve
A future bless`d with love shall increase.